


all is bright

by pansythorns



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, umm I don't know tags I'm gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-29 02:35:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12621240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pansythorns/pseuds/pansythorns
Summary: Izumi delivers a gift.





	all is bright

StarFes comes to a close, and backstage a rustling of hands through a backpack breaks the silence of the dimly lit dressing room. Every member of Knights is preparing to leave, including Izumi, who is crouched next to a vanity, fiddling with a rather sizeable gift box.

"Izumi-chan, how long are you going to make us wait up? We can't lock up with you in here, you know," Arashi chimes, placing a hand on the vanity. "Oooh, what's that~?" They gawk tantalizingly at the present in Izumi's hands.

"None of your business," Izumi dismisses, wrapping one last blue ribbon around the gift. "Perfect. Only the best for my Yuu-kun."

"Oho? Is that the scarf you tried to give to Yuuki-kun earlier? Didn't he, like, completely flat out reject you?" Arashi teases. "You know, if he didn't like it the first time, he probably won't like it the second."

Izumi tosses them a grumpy look. "He didn't _reject_ me. He was busy with other things, and thought if he'd told me about it, I'd worry too much about him." Kicking his backpack under the vanity and standing up, Izumi hangs tightly onto the present. "He never even saw the scarf. I'm going to give it to him tonight, instead. And it'll be soooo romantic."

Arashi tries their best to stifle a giggle. "If you say so, Izumi-chan. Now, hurry up and let's go. You don't want to miss your chance with Prince Charming, do you~?"

Izumi hates how they worded that, but he'll let it slide for now, because they're right. He knows Makoto was somewhere in the audience, at least during the end of the live. If he waits too long he may never catch up to him. He grabs his StarFes practice jacket and storms out the door, leaving Arashi there to lock their dressing room.

"Ahh, young love. A beautiful, yet somehow disgusting thing. Ufufu."

 

*****

 

Outside of the stage hall, Izumi catches his breath and takes a look around. It's snowing, lightly, and the cool winter air makes him wish that this practice hoodie was a little bit thicker. He snugs the hood around his neck to keep out some chills, and starts walking, looking in every which way for his darling Yuu-kun. He spots an older couple snuggled on a bench, watching the snow fall. Of course, his mind takes him to the fantasy of Makoto and himself growing old together, and that one day they'll have tender moments like that in the future. A sigh escapes his lips and he keeps looking, but every bench after that he sees is empty, and he doesn't notice any bright blonde haired people walking around.

_What if he already went home? It shouldn't surprise me... all I texted him was that I had something for him after the live. He probably thought I was going to be creepy again, and ditched. I... can't blame him._ Frantic negative thoughts spiral through Izumi's head, and just as he's about to call it quits and just go home--

  
"Oiii, Izumi-san!"

He knows that voice anywhere. His head instinctively whips in the direction of the shout, and sees Makoto jogging up to him from behind. Where did he come from? That doesn't matter. He's here now. Calling out to him. Running towards him. All good signs so far.

"Yuu-kun!" Izumi turns around just in time for Makoto to catch up to him, and his feet come to a clumsy stop. He lurches forward just a bit, and Izumi immediately thrusts his arms forward to catch him. "H-hey, careful! Are you okay, Yuu-kun?"

Makoto gasps for breath for a second and straightens himself out of Izumi's arms. "A-ah, yeah! Sorry, I was looking for you, and I didn't want to lose sight of you again, haha..."

Izumi blinks. "Y...you were looking for me? I was looking for you, though."

"We must've been going in circles, then. Heheh... um, but, I found you! So..." Makoto darts his eyes in every direction, avoiding any direct eye contact with Izumi. His hands fiddle for a moment before he brings one up to rub the back of his neck. Which just so happens to be covered by a deep blue scarf.

_He already has a scarf. There's no way he's going to accept this now. No, no. He's acting normal. He doesn't seem scared, just awkward. That's normal. It'll be fine. It's fine._

"Not to be presumptuous, Izumi-san, but, uh... is that gift for me?" He tugs on his scarf a little and points to the gift box still gripped in Izumi's hands, surprisingly undropped from the attempt to catch Makoto. "I-it's just! You know, you said you, uh, had something for me."

Izumi smiles serenely and nods. "Yeah, it's for you, Yuu-kun. Let's get out of the street, though."

Makoto replies with a simple affirmative noise and a nod, and they stroll down to the bayside. It's always so pretty around there this time of year, lots of lights strung and wreaths hanging from the street lamps. There's even a Christmas tree near the center of the plaza, bright and shining with multi-colored bulbs.

The two promptly take a seat on one of the benches near the tree, and as Makoto shuffles the snow off his boots, Izumi wipes some of it off the gift box.

"Here, Yuu-kun." He says, voice hushed like a whisper, as if he was embarrassed, or hiding this display of affection from anyone who may be walking by. Izumi gently places the present in Makoto's hands, which are splayed out quite eagerly. "A Christmas present. For you."

_He seems excited to get a present... God, I hope he likes it. And if he doesn't, God, just strike me where I sit before he opens it so the last thing I see is his ecstatic face._

"I-izumi-san," Makoto stutters, "Y'know, you really didn't have to get me anything... it's not like I did anything to deserve one." His gaze shifts from Izumi, to the present, to the ground, where the snow is twinkling against the glow of the Christmas lights.

"It's Christmas, Yuu-kun. It's natural to give gifts to people you love, right?" Izumi nearly stops himself before saying the word 'love', but the atmosphere here is too calming and romantic to keep himself from saying such embarrassing things.

Makoto paints on an awkward smile and tilts his head to look away again. "Y-yeah, I guess so. I-I'm gonna open it now." He does as he says, and gently unravels the ribbon holding the box together. Izumi watches his fingers, then the expression on his face as he lifts the lid off the box. Makoto's gloved hands shuffle the hand-knit scarf out of the box, lifting it up in its entirety.

_Please God please God please God please--_

"W...wow."

"Wow?" _That can't be good._

"Izumi-san, did you... make this?"

"Y-yeah."

Makoto brings the scarf back down into his lap and starts petting the material. "It's... so soft. It doesn't feel like a regular knitted scarf." A smile creeps its way up Makoto's lips and he glances back at Izumi. "I love it, Izumi-san. D-despite the, er, embarrassing text on the front."

_Thank you, God._

Izumi's eyes light up and he leans towards Makoto a bit. "Y-you really like it? Really? I... I thought you'd like the softer material, so I went with the finer stranded yarn. It should hold in heat better, too."

"It's so well-made. You put so much effort into this, Izumi-san... and I didn't even get you anything." Makoto glances to the ground again, obviously feeling guilty.

"Oh, oh no, Yuu-kun, you don't have to get me anything. You..." He stops and thinks for a minute about what he's about to say. Is it too creepy? Would that be crossing an unprescidented line? Izumi sighs heavy before he finishes. "You, alone, is enough of a Christmas present for me."

This time, Makoto truly faces entirely away from Izumi, a hand pressed against his face. While faced away, he tugs off his blue scarf and replaces it with the hand-crafted, deep red one. It's much heavier and thicker than the other one, but it's also so much cozier. He nuzzles his face into the soft fabric before regaining composure and turning back to the other boy.

"Yuu-kun..." Izumi's face glows. "You look so cuuuuuute, it's not faaaaaair..." He wails, childishly. "Yuu-kuuuun, I'm so happy you like it, I'm sooo happy you're wearing it, I'm so--"

He's abruptly stopped by the cascade of dark blue down his face and around his neck.

"Wh... what--"

"I didn't get you anything, b-but. You looked so cold without a scarf. It felt unfair that I had two, and you didn't have any. S-so, um..." Makoto shuffles around a bit. "Consider that your Christmas present. From me."

Izumi sits there in silence, mouth slightly agape for a second. He brings a hand to his neck and gently tugs at the pre-warmed scarf around his neck. Pulling it to his blushing face, he rubs his nose in it. "Yuu-kun... I love it. Thank you."

"Sorry if it's not new, or special or anything-- oh God, it probably smells like me, like my sweat and--"

"That isn't a problem at all, Yuu-kun." That was weird, he knows it. He doesn't really care.

"Geh--! Izumi-san, that's... a little gross!"

Izumi drops the scarf back down, letting it dangle around his neck, and lets out a soft chuckle. "I know, sorry, sorry." His hands wander to Makoto's chest, where he takes the ends of his scarf and fiddles with them, making it look more presentable. The giant white letters saying 'I LOVE YUU' are shown in the front now. "There. Now you can see the text."

Makoto smiles sheepishly, combing a hand through the side of his hair. "Heh... right. Thank you, Onii-chan. I mean it."

It takes a second for that to process in Izumi's ears, but once it does, he lurches forward and clutches his chest dramatically. "Yuu-kun... called me... Onii-chan...!" He screams into his scarf. Izumi tries his best to restrain himself from flinging himself at Makoto in a heated embrace, but he can't. His arms fly around Makoto's shoulders as he brings him in close. "Hahh, Yuu-kun is so warm..."

Had this happened a year ago, Makoto would be freaking out right about now. Izumi so dangerously close to him would've scared past-Makoto out of his pants and promptly had him running down the road. But over time, Izumi has seemed a lot less scary, and it makes Makoto wonder if he was ever truly dangerous or terrifying to begin with. Makoto returns the hug, wrapping his arms around the other's waist, hands reaching up to touch his back. The embrace is warm, and comfortable, Makoto thinks.

"A-are you hugging me because you're cold, or because you just... want to?" Makoto inquires, tilting his head to get a look at Izumi's face. His eyes are closed blissfully, head resting against the crook between Makoto's chest and shoulder. He looks... cute.

"Mm. A little of both. I-is this okay, though? If you want me to get off, I totally... understand." The words are a little hesitant, Izumi _really_ doesn't want to let go, but again, he doesn't want to overstep boundaries anymore.

"No, no... it's okay. I, um. I like it." His voice is hushed, shy, but he hopes that's enough to assure Izumi that he's not uncomfortable, he's not scared, and that he doesn't want to push him away.

Turns out, it is enough for Izumi. He smiles a genuine, soft smile, and releases his grip on Makoto. He settles in a different position, sitting next to him, head rested on Makoto's shoulder. "Is this okay, too?"

Makoto fidgets. "Yeah."

"Can... can I hold your hand, Yuu-kun?" His voice is shaky.

Another fidget. It's been awhile since Izumi last asked something like that. But, with the atmosphere like this, their hands both gloveless and cold... he thinks he can make up an excuse for himself later, if need be.

"Y-yes."

Izumi's eyes sparkle at him for just a moment, before he reaches down, entwining his fingers with his beloved's. He stares down at the snow for a minute, watching it twinkle in the midst of both moonlight and Christmas lights. He's overcome with happiness, a genuine feeling he's long missed. Makoto is there, next to him, wearing the scarf he made for him, holding his hand on this chilly winter night. It truly is just like a dream.

**Author's Note:**

> I KNOW IT'S NOT CHRISTMAS YET WHATEVER I JUST LOVE THEM SO MUCH! THANKS GUYS


End file.
